According to the Director of African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APFCOF), Sean Tait, their role is to strengthen, hold and advocate for civilian police oversight in Africa. Currently, there are only four oversight bodies’ focused specifically on police forces in the whole continent.
In South Africa, there is the Independent Police Investigative Directorate. In Kenya it is the Independent Police Oversight Authority, which has the power to investigate police including police actions, police in custody, corruption issues and sexual violence committed by police officers.
Nigeria has the Police Service Commission that looks at discipline cases despite the fact that they are not police officers but oversee the police in terms of their internal discipline.
According to Tait, Sierra Leone is the other country that has an independent body that has the power to investigate the police. IPCB decided to invite participants from CDIID, ACC, Officer of the Ombudsman, Financial Intelligent Unit, IPCB, Metropolitan police and the Human Rights Commission.
“This is why we thought it fit to support the investigators with technical training and other networking opportunities,” Tait maintained
Improving the capacity of investigators on civilian oversight on police officers and to meet international best practice, the Independent Police Complaint Board (IPCB) together with African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APFCOF) are currently training 28 investigators from various institutions.
The four-day training session started on Monday 22 May 2017 and will conclude on Thursday at the IPCB Conference hall, New England Ville, Freetown.
The topics to be covered include human rights, police oversight, investigation skills, where participants will be trained on how to manage crime scenes and gather information, how to photograph crime scenes, how to work with witness/victims, maintain and protect privacy, look at ways information is analysed, among others.
Speaking to the to the Chairman of IPCB, Val Collier, basic training will cover investigative methods for civilian oversight of the police. The objective of the exercise is to provide the necessary skills required to carry out their mandate.
Whether you are in the Police at CIID or you are outside at IPCB everyone wants to see a Sierra Leonean Police that is professional, ethical and maintains human rights standards.
Tait said, “The size of IPCB is one big challenge as it has to do with capacity and finance. Investigating police or doing oversight is not a cheap business. You basically need the same resources required in any police organization.”
Most of the participants said they hope to acquire new skills relating to their jobs and to replicate the ideas to others.
By Alhaji M. Kamara
Tuesday May 23, 2017.